


Trust

by orphan_account



Series: Hemoswap [1]
Category: Homestuck, MS Paint Adventures
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bloodswap, Gen, bloodswap, colorswap, tyrianblood karkat
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-11-17
Updated: 2014-09-17
Packaged: 2017-12-31 14:01:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1032525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>KArkat has never really spoken to anyone, seeing as there were many many attempts on his life for the past four sweeps. the 10 sweep old prince finally meets other nobles, but he cant bring himself to trust them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> i am just making this up as i gho along.

Karkat sat at the table across from his father and gaped at him. Guests for dinner. From the families who had sent assassins after them for sweeps. The fuchsia prince bit back his shocked retort and nodded to his father. "Yes sir." Was all he said, sharp and seemingly unbothered. His father smiled and nodded back. They had been dodging assassination attempts for sweeps, and Karkat was still iffy about having other trolls welcomed into their haven. But if it was what his father wanted, so be it.

That after-midnight, when the guests had arrived, Karkat stayed in his throne. The 6 sweep old glared at anyone who attempted to speak to him. There were eleven other trolls his age, and his father would be deciding who would be his bride once he ascended the throne. At the dawn meal, His father stood up. "I have made the decision on who will rule at my son's side." All of the guests held their breath. Who ever it was would be set for life. So would their families. "It will be Sollux Captor, the violet suitor." He grinned. The Captors grinned brightly, and the other families toasted them before the party began eating.

After about half an hour, the Emperor paused his eating and looked at his food and drink. Karkat, directly on his right looked at him confused. "Dad?"

The adult turned to him, a tyrian tear falling down his cheek as he reached out and cupped karkat's cheek. "I know you'll take care of everyone. I believe in you... It's not your fault Karkat... I love you son..." And with those final words, the king pitched forward onto the table.

Karkat sat there stunned, as well as the guests. Then he shook his father's shoulder. "Dad? This isn't funny. Wake the fuck up." His pleas for his father to get up became louder and more frantic as he shook the lifeless body of the peaceful king. "Dad? Dad?! No! You can't leave me! I can't do this on my own!"

After a few days, the entire empire was cloaked in white to say farewell to their most beloved emperor. Karkat stood next to the casket and looked at his father's lifeless face. It wasn't fair. The violet blood asshole kept trying to comfort him. Karkat wanted nothing of the sort. He sent the nobles away and let one of the chancellors rule in his stead. He forgot that there were trolls outside of the castle as he trained in weaponry and built his body's tolerance to poisons little at a time.

The real story starts when the tyrian became an adult, and realized that he was bored of the palace. The day he snuck out from under the extremely over-protective chancellor's nose. The day he actually met the noble from the bronze blooded house. The moment he met Equius Zahhak's eyes for the very first time.


	2. Escape from the Castle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The ten sweep old Emperor escapes from the Palace, only to meet one of the lowest noble houses. The Zahhaks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> POV CHANGE: KARKAT FIRST PERSON.

I wait until the coast is clear, then run across the parapet before dropping onto the guard tower balcony. I land silently in a crouch before slipping into the shadows near the door. I wait until the (drunkard) guard just inside has left his post then silently dart across to the door and down down down the spiral fucking staircase. The cloak I had slipped on hid my face, and the contacts I was wearing made my eyes look maroon, but that made this both a horrible idea, and a brilliant plan. I needed to get away from the overbearing protection of my fiancee and the high chancellor. It was getting stuffy.

I slipped through the courtyard and under the portcullis, which was open halfway for maintenance (idiots). And with that I was free to roam the Royal City alone. I had brought a small purse of coins, and hid it in my shirt, which was a ratty old one that I had "borrowed" from the servant's quarters. Basically, I had dressed like a traveler. Nobody would ever expect (Ha).

As I walked, I noticed something odd. The caste system that my Father had broken down was beginning to take hold once again. A Bronze blood with odd arrow shaped horns was being talked down to by a teal blood with long gracefully swerving horns. The lowblood stepped back looking down shamefaced. "I apologize sir. I did not mean any offense..." His voice was soft, like he was afraid to speak too loudly.

"Damn right you didn't. But your very existence is not worth my time." The teal said, shoving the bronze.

"Who the fuck do you think you are?" I shout. Fuck. Just fucking great me. Blow my cover the first chance I get. Great Fucking idea, asshat. The teal turns to me slowly, and the few interested bystanders all looked at me in shock. Right. I'm the lowest of bloods. Maroon. At least that's what they think.

"I could ask you the same question, rust blood." He growled, gripping the collar of my shirt tightly and pulling me to his face.

"I'm a better fucking person than you are." I say, not flinching. Not giving into the intimidation. I just hope he can't hear my bloodpusher thudding inside of my chest.

"Like fuck you are!" He shouted, readying a blow towards my face. I grip onto his wrist and swing my body around and double kick the tall fuck in the face. He let go and when he hit the ground, I kicked him in the stomach.

"I suggest you fucking think before you go and grab someone next time, you retarded fuck." I look at him and teal blazes angrily at me. "The hemospectrum means nothing, and has meant nothing since His Imperious Conciliation took the throne. I assure you that the New Emperor will not be please by this."

He growled something unintelligible as he got up and spat at my feet. "You and your lousy shitblood aren't worth my time." He walked away, teal dripping from a cut over his left eye and from his nose.

I then turn to address the bronze blood who had been originally accosted by his intolerance. "Are you alright?" I asked. He turned and our eyes met. Now I don't consider myself a romantic, (who am I kidding, I own every single romcom known to trollkind. I know them line for line down to the punctuation by heart. I have studied the romances far more than what is considered healthy), but I swear that my bloodpusher stopped. When I met his bronze eyes for the very first time, I felt like I had been struck by twenty lightning bolts at once. I felt drawn to him, like if this was given a chance, this would turn into something beautiful and wondrous and great. I don't believe in love at first sight (yes I do) but I'm positive that this is what it feels like. 

"I, uh, are-are you alright?" I ask (smooth as silk, oh yeah) trying to get my brain to work. He nods, wide bronze eyes looking at me. "Uhm, what's your name?" I ask after a moment.

"I'm E-Equius Zahhak, of the House of Bronze." He said quietly. "And you?"

Well, I feel stupid. Maybe (most likely) I was the only one who felt the shock... "Kar... min... You can call me Carmin. Just a traveler looking for a place to settle down." I quickly make up a (not very clever) persona for myself. "Do you know if there is anyone I can talk to about housing and work?"

"Well, the ca-castle is hiring in the smithies quarters. T-the smithies and the stable hands w-work near each other, and the House of Bronze supplies and cares for the imperial steeds, you know."

"No, I didn't know... But I'll see about the work there. Thank you." I turn to walk (back to my rooms and pout at the loss of a never started romance) away, when he touched my arm. I look up at his face, and his eyes are averted, his cheeks turning the most endearing shade of bronze.

"I haven't properly thanked you yet... w-would you like to go get something to eat?" He winced slightly at the stutter and I realized that that was why he didn't speak very loud. To hide such a pitiful thing. All I could do was nod stupidly.

He led the way to some back alley cafe in the slums. A woman looked up and smiled. "Hello, Equius, Dear. Who is this?"

"This is Carmin. He st-still believes in the ways if His Imperious Conciliation. He saved me today." The bronzeblood explains.

"Well then, I suppose telling him my color will not bother him then." She smiles at me. "Kanaya Maryam, Of the Barely-Even-Noble House Carmine. I'm a Mutantblood." She said.

"Carmin Vascoh. Traveler. Maroon." I reply, reluctantly shaking her hand.

"Oh, come now, Carmin. I do not bite." She said. "...Often"

"Uh..." I say, unsure of how to react as she laughed. I had never spent time around people like this (Who am I kidding? I avoid other living creatures like the plague. Messiahs know why I climbed out of the rooms I usually stay in).

"She's j-joking." Equius whispered in my ear. I shivered slightly.

"Right. I totally knew that." I replied, as Equius laughed quietly (it was perfect) and lead me over to the corner table. 

The cafe was small but not cramped. The walls were a pale grey with accents of bright red along the top. The floor was a darker shade of grey and the ceiling was the same pale grey as the walls and had two small chandeliers hanging in opposite corners. In the corner across from the circular table Equius and I sat at was a small fireplace, which made the space feel that much more welcoming. The tables were a light brown, highly polished wood and each table had four chairs. There were five tables in the room. There was a counter near the door and behind the counter was a archway leading into the best smelling kitchen I had ever encountered. 

Kanaya brought out two bowls of soup and two hunks of buttered bread for us. Equius thanked her and immediately dug in, and I just stared at the bowl silently for a minute.

"C-Carmin? What's wrong?" He asked, looking at me with curious brown eyes.

"Huh? Oh, Nothing." I take a slow bite. The flavor of the stew was abso(fucking)lutely heavenly. It was like the messiah's miracles doing the do on my taste buds. I had never tasted anything so perfect in my life. I could die complete now.

"Are y-you okay?" Equius' voice broke through my whatever the fuck that just was.

"Huh? Yeah, fine." I say before digging the fuck in.

The bowl was empty before I could even think about complimenting Kanaya's cooking. "That was amazing." My voice sounds odd, and I realize that it's because I'm in awe. "Have you ever thought about cooking in the castle for the emperor or something?"

She looked at me as she cleared the bowls away. "I wish I could. I also wish I could be a seamstress. But that is never going to happen for me." She said, looking down.

"Why not? This is absolutely the best meal I've ever eaten!" I say. "I bet the castle would love your food!" It's the truth. I would become the fattest thing alive (I work out too much for it to really effect me like that, so that's an exaggeration, but not by fucking much) and not regret it. Especially since the jadebloods who are ruling in my stead currently keep wanting me to eat, even though I don't really.

"Aside from the fact that only teal through blue bloods are allowed to work in the imperial kitchen, and only jades and ceruleans make the emperor's clothes? The fact that the castle is locked up tighter than a pickle jar super glued shut. The fact that the emperor only eats a quarter of his meals before sending it back. the fact that the emperor never leaves his rooms, and obviously does not care for his subjects." She listed off, getting more and more irritated as she spoke.

"How do you know if the emperor cares for you? And the food thing?" I ask, anger building up inside, but I managed to bite it back.

"Its so obvious! Have you even looked around?" She yelled back.

"Carmin..." Equius broke through my anger and I looked at him. "He reinstated the hemospectrum."


	3. Chances Must Be Made

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> POV: KARKAT

_"Carmin..." Equius broke through my anger and I looked at him. "He reinstated the hemospectrum."_

I looked at them both in shock. "W-what? When?" My voice sounded so small. So strange to my own ears. 

"You didnt know? It happened just after his father's funeral." Equius sounded so far away. I could barely hear him over the rushing in my ears. "The people have started to call him a rather awful name."

"What name?" I ask. I shouldn't have asked. But I had to know.

"His Imperious Dereliction." Kanaya said, giving me a confused look. "He's failed us all. I hope he rots in his sorrow."

I dimly pulled my coin purse from around my neck and gave her all of the gold boonies I had before slowly walking to the door. "Thank you for the meal. Come to the palace in three days." I open the door and walk out, closing it behind me.

I walked to the end of the street before angrily taking the contacts out, eyes blazing with fury. Then I ran. I ran past lowbloods, shoving highbloods out of the way, not even caring when my hood flew off my head, revealing my face to the people I ran past. The world was a blur, and I was pissed. The portcullis was down when I reached the wall, and I fucking broke through it. I ran into the throne room, where there was no jadeblood standing in my place, but a certain violetblood.

"Sollux!" I scream, running forward and grabbing the collar of his ridiculous fucking cape. "You asshole! You stupid fucking lying cheat and grub-fucker! How dare you?! HOW DARE YOU?!" Somehow my hands moved to around his neck and I shook him as my grip tightened, his hands went to my wrists, his rings glinting and his claws drew blood as he tried to pry my hands away. "I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL YOU FOR RUINING MY FATHER'S EMPIRE! I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU FOR DESTROYING THE PEACE MY FATHER WORKED HIS _WHOLE **FUCKING** LIFE_ TO ACHIEVE! YOU STUPID STUPID FUCK! YOU DON'T DESERVE ANY TITLE GIVEN TO YOU! YOU DON'T DESERVE TO BE CALLED A PRINCE!"

Three guards pried me off of him, and the violetblood fell to his knees coughing and sputtering before looking up at me with fear and surprise. I sank to the ground, sobbing. How dare he? My father had worked so hard to abolish the hemospectrum. My people don't like me. My people hate me, because this asshole claimed to be working my will.

"Karkat-" He started after a moment, standing up and holding his hand out to me.

"No." I stood up, slapping his hand away. "You want the hemospectrum to be back in place? Fine. Kneel." I say, attempting to murder him with my eyes.

He looked startled. "E-excuse me?"

"Did I fucking stutter?" I growl, my earfins flaring out in my rage. "On your knees before your emperor, the highest of bloods, you filthy muckblood."

"You can _not_ be serious." He scoffed, rolling his eyes at me. I pulled out my gold double ended trident and held the sharp points to his neck.

"Try me." My voice was low and menacing.

For a moment, his gaze flicked from my eyes to the fork at his throat and back. Then he slowly sank to his knees once he realized that I was serious about this.

I took a beep breath after a moment before I looked down at him, kneeling like so many had in sweeps gone by. "Do you like eating the dirt on the floor? No? Then stand. Stand tall and stand proud. You are a troll. We are all trolls. The hemospectrum shall once again be abolished, and this time, only a tyrianblood can reinstate it." I say to the people who had come in to ask for the emperor's assistance. "Sollux, You and your family are stripped of your title as a high noble family. From now on, the House Carmine shall switch ranks with you. They will be the new high ruling family, and yours shall be hardly even considered nobility. The wedding shall still take place, as my father wished it. But you have no power. You will have to earn your keep here and work as a stable hand. you will answer to the Zahhaks in charge of the stables tomorrow at the crack of dusk. If I hear of you complaining, then you will be placed in the stockades that remain in the town center and remain there for one night and day. Understood?"

Sollux stared at me in absolute shock and horror. "You must be joking! My family has been treated with the same high respect and equanimity since before your father took the throne!" He said.

I looked at him indifferently. "You treated my people like they were nothing. You and your family will now pay the price for _your_ pride and selfishness." I say before turning to a guard nearby. "Please inform the House Carmine and the House Violet of these changes." And as an after thought, i turn to the informatist. "Inform the people that the Emperor has returned to the Conciliation's ways. If anyone has any issues, I shall have a board outside for them to write their names on, so I can get to everyone and fix their problems."

The shocked pleased look on that Maroonblood's face made me calm down a bit. A small touch of warmth sparked in my chest, and I realized that this was why my father cared. Helping people, seeing their happiness... It just made it feel like the work and pain was worth it. 


	4. So it begins

I smiled as I walked outside toward the stables. The blue blooded Megidos paused their smithing work to bow as I passed them. I wanted to see Equius.

The gates were opened to allow a few trolls in. I was slowly but surely letting people in. I glanced over at Kanaya as she walked in, and I went to her. It took her a moment to recognize me as the Emperor and as soon as she did, she bowed deeply. 

"Your Imperiousness." She said. I reached down and pulled her back up.

"No need for formalities." I said, smiling softly. "We have already met."

She looks confused, and blinks at me. "Have we? "

"Yes, just a few days ago, in fact. I would like to hire you to be my personal chef and seamstress. I haven't been able to eat anything since I tasted your soup the other day." I smile softly at her. 

She gasped and paled slightly. "Carmin?"

"Actually, my name is Karkat."

"Y-Your excellency, my deepest apologies!" She stammered, bowing again.

" Hey! No!" I pull her to stand up again. "I'll only accept them if you want my job offer."

"O-Of course, your majesty"

"You can just call me Karkat." I said, turning and heading back towards my original destination.

When I arrived, Sollux was running from a hoofbeast, and Equius was trying his hardest not to laugh. So I felt free to laugh loudly in his stead. 

"Finding work to be difficult, Sollux?" I asked, leaning on the fence. Equius rushed to catch the hoofbeast, calming it gently and avoiding my gaze as though I'd be angry. 

Sollux pouted at me. "How do you expect anyone to live like this?! "he yelled at me from across the yard. 

"Just because you haven't worked a day in your life, doesn't mean no one else hasn't!" I yell back, hopping over the fence and walking to Equius. I gently pet the horse's nose, enjoying the heat from the beast. "I hope he hasn't been too disrespectful. He is such fucking asshole."

Equius flushed as I spoke, his cheeks once again turning an endearing shade of bronze. "H-he hasn't been too m-much trouble, your excellency." He'd reverted back to his barely above whisper voice. 

"Karkat." I correct him. "Or Carmin, whichever makes you feel more comfortable." I shrug.

He had a similar reaction to Kanaya, except that he blushed darker instead of paling. "M-my apologies--"

"There has been no offense made." I wave the words away. "No need for apologies. Now, I would like to invite you to dinner. It is a request. You can say no. I won't be upset." I say before I can cluckbeast out of it. He's just too fucking cute. I want to kiss his stupid cute face. I mean what?

"A-are you certain?" He stammered, quickly busying himself with the hoofbeast.

"I wouldn't have asked otherwise." I roll my eyes and run a hand through my hair. I'm trying so hard not to let my cheeks flush, and it's so embarrassing.

"I-I would like to accompany you." He said, I almost didn't hear him.

I brighten up, and suddenly my cheeks are flushed tyrian, and I'm breathless with glee. "Then I'll see you at seven. I'm sure Kanaya won't mind cooking tonight." 

I walk away with a spring in my step. I hope he can like me for me. That's all I really want...


End file.
